Cruise 2023

[Alickadoo]

Rufus Stone said:

Thanks, I had a look but ....

"You can be covered for COVID as long as you’ve declared your pre-existing medical conditions and have had your recommended COVID-19 vaccinations. ."

What's wrong with that?

[PRTVR]

Alickadoo said:

Rufus Stone said:

Thanks, I had a look but ....

"You can be covered for COVID as long as you’ve declared your pre-existing medical conditions and have had your recommended COVID-19 vaccinations. ."

What's wrong with that?

Just the small part about saying he isn't vaccinated .

[DT1975]

PRTVR said:

Just bought 100 carnival shares (UK listed) for about £710 with tax this gives £150 on board credit for a 14 night cruise,
With the share price being low it will not take long to cover my investment.
I used one of the free trading apps, trading 212 but I have also heard good things about Freetrade.
Details of shareholder benefits
https://www.carnivalcorp.com/static-files/50351a91...

I did this a few weeks back. I got them in the wife's name as she's on a Princess cruise next week....$100 OBC thanks.

We have a Caribbean booked for next Jan...£150 likewise and already added to our OBC.

[ecsrobin]

DT1975 said:

I did this a few weeks back. I got them in the wife's name as she's on a Princess cruise next week....$100 OBC thanks.

We have a Caribbean booked for next Jan...£150 likewise and already added to our OBC.

Is that a rolling deal? Or just a one off? The letter posted above says book by end of Feb 23

[bad company]

ecsrobin said:

DT1975 said:

I did this a few weeks back. I got them in the wife's name as she's on a Princess cruise next week....$100 OBC thanks.

We have a Caribbean booked for next Jan...£150 likewise and already added to our OBC.

Is that a rolling deal? Or just a one off? The letter posted above says book by end of Feb 23

It;s a rolling deal. I held Carnival shares and took the onboard credit several times.

[Bobtherallyfan]

bad company said:

It;s a rolling deal. I held Carnival shares and took the onboard credit several times.

Not strictly true..they are only fixed until July 23.

[PRTVR]

ecsrobin said:

DT1975 said:

I did this a few weeks back. I got them in the wife's name as she's on a Princess cruise next week....$100 OBC thanks.

We have a Caribbean booked for next Jan...£150 likewise and already added to our OBC.

Is that a rolling deal? Or just a one off? The letter posted above says book by end of Feb 23

As far as I am aware it's a rolling deal but with the condition that it may be stopped by a vote, but I don't think it ever has, it may be voted on at the AGM each year.

[Deep Thought]

Booked another cruise!

Cunard Queen Victoria, December from Southampton. Similar route across Northern Europe as we did last year on MSC Virtuosa. We were thinking about doing MSC Euribia this December but its a sister ship of Virtuosa so it would be same route and (almost the) same ship, so this will be something v different.

Looking at MSC Euribia for Norway May next year, going from Copenhagen (we have to fly to Southampton so may as well fly to somewhere a bit different), but we'll play that by ear nearer the time.

Anyone been on the Queen Victoria? Any hints or tips?

[bad company]

Bobtherallyfan said:

bad company said:

It;s a rolling deal. I held Carnival shares and took the onboard credit several times.

Not strictly true..they are only fixed until July 23.

That’s always been extended in the past. Having said that Carnival are not exactly awash with money so who knows.

[JuiceTerry]

Off on Saturday for my first Azamara cruise, Rome to Barcelona , have previously sailed on Cunard, P&O, Princess and Celebrity. The Azamara ship is tiny by comparison it will be interesting to see if we enjoy it as much as the others

[Bobtherallyfan]

Deep Thought said:

Booked another cruise!

Cunard Queen Victoria, December from Southampton. Similar route across Northern Europe as we did last year on MSC Virtuosa. We were thinking about doing MSC Euribia this December but its a sister ship of Virtuosa so it would be same route and (almost the) same ship, so this will be something v different.

Looking at MSC Euribia for Norway May next year, going from Copenhagen (we have to fly to Southampton so may as well fly to somewhere a bit different), but we'll play that by ear nearer the time.

Anyone been on the Queen Victoria? Any hints or tips?

We’ve been on the QV several times. Nice sedate cruising in a fairly traditional setting with generally well travelled passengers who like dressing up in the evening. Service levels have unfortunately declined since Covid but the below deck staff are lovely.

[Deep Thought]

Bobtherallyfan said:

We’ve been on the QV several times. Nice sedate cruising in a fairly traditional setting with generally well travelled passengers who like dressing up in the evening. Service levels have unfortunately declined since Covid but the below deck staff are lovely.

Thanks. Yes, looking forward to the relaxation and sense of occasion with it. We'll embrace the dressing up in the evenings thing as well as any of the activities on board. Wouldnt necessarily be what we'd normally look for in a cruise, but we'd both really like to try it.

Drinks package - i take it its fixed price? ie, theres no advantageous time to get it (before the cruise, on board, etc).

[raceboy]

Bobtherallyfan said:

Nice sedate cruising in a fairly traditional setting with generally well travelled passengers who like dressing up in the evening.

That's another thing I was a little disappointed in on the Royal Caribbean boat recently, again, don't know if it was the time of year, or the locations, but there were very few of us who'd gone full 'Tux', a few more went 'smart' but a lot that read 'dress to impress' as put on your most expensive 'label' t-shirt.
And the queues for 'fine dining' even though you had reservation times were a bit of joke.

[paulguitar]

raceboy said:

Bobtherallyfan said:

Nice sedate cruising in a fairly traditional setting with generally well travelled passengers who like dressing up in the evening.

That's another thing I was a little disappointed in on the Royal Caribbean boat recently, again, don't know if it was the time of year, or the locations, but there were very few of us who'd gone full 'Tux', a few more went 'smart' but a lot that read 'dress to impress' as put on your most expensive 'label' t-shirt.
And the queues for 'fine dining' even though you had reservation times were a bit of joke.

Yep, RCL has deliberately dialed down the dressy uppy stuff. The truth is most RCL customers are just not particularly interested in doing it. We've been told feedback has shown that most of them would prefer to relax on their holiday than pack/put on formal wear.


Different story somewhere like P&O, where most people seem to dress up and many attend the 'meet the captain' thing.

[raceboy]

If truth be told I wouldn't have packed my Tux if I was just going on the cruise but it was in my case anyway.
Questions with the Captain was quite well attended even if most of the questions were a bit daft, the Captain himself was quite humorous.

[paulguitar]

raceboy said:

If truth be told I wouldn't have packed my Tux if I was just going on the cruise but it was in my case anyway.
Questions with the Captain was quite well attended even if most of the questions were a bit daft, the Captain himself was quite humorous.

Do you remember who it was?

[raceboy]

paulguitar said:

Do you remember who it was?

Captain James.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4488879897877843

[Ynox]

Deep Thought said:

Thanks. Yes, looking forward to the relaxation and sense of occasion with it. We'll embrace the dressing up in the evenings thing as well as any of the activities on board. Wouldnt necessarily be what we'd normally look for in a cruise, but we'd both really like to try it.

Drinks package - i take it its fixed price? ie, theres no advantageous time to get it (before the cruise, on board, etc).

Drinks package is something like $70 online, $75 on the ship. It used to be that the best time to get it was the morning of your second day of the trip. This meant you maximised the value of it (assuming you didn't drink like a fish on the first night). I find I have to drink a fair bit to get my money's worth out of a drinks package (a coffee is about $5, a beer is about $8, wine and cocktails make it easier though).

I like the QV. Got a trip booked on her for November and one for October 2024 also (and between these I'm on the Queen Anne maiden voyage). I think I've got a problem!

[Deep Thought]

Ynox said:

Deep Thought said:

Thanks. Yes, looking forward to the relaxation and sense of occasion with it. We'll embrace the dressing up in the evenings thing as well as any of the activities on board. Wouldnt necessarily be what we'd normally look for in a cruise, but we'd both really like to try it.

Drinks package - i take it its fixed price? ie, theres no advantageous time to get it (before the cruise, on board, etc).

Drinks package is something like $70 online, $75 on the ship. It used to be that the best time to get it was the morning of your second day of the trip. This meant you maximised the value of it (assuming you didn't drink like a fish on the first night). I find I have to drink a fair bit to get my money's worth out of a drinks package (a coffee is about $5, a beer is about $8, wine and cocktails make it easier though).

I like the QV. Got a trip booked on her for November and one for October 2024 also (and between these I'm on the Queen Anne maiden voyage). I think I've got a problem!

Thanks for the info! I think we'll go ahead and book the drinks package online and before we go. We do tend to like a few drinks on the first day so would make sense to get it and we may as well save the $10 per day between us booking it in advance.

Looking forward to the breakfast in bed hot breakfasts. I think we'll avail of that a fair bit. The afternoon tea looks nice also. As does the ability to get lunch in the bar onboard.

Bit of an eclectic mix for us this year - MSC World Europa in June, Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady in Sept then Cunard in December.

[Ynox]

Deep Thought said:

Thanks for the info! I think we'll go ahead and book the drinks package online and before we go. We do tend to like a few drinks on the first day so would make sense to get it and we may as well save the $10 per day between us booking it in advance.

Looking forward to the breakfast in bed hot breakfasts. I think we'll avail of that a fair bit. The afternoon tea looks nice also. As does the ability to get lunch in the bar onboard.

Bit of an eclectic mix for us this year - MSC World Europa in June, Virgin Voyages Resilient Lady in Sept then Cunard in December.

Pub lunch in the Golden Lion gets very busy. Get there early. I love the curry. My usual (before having a kid) would be to camp out with a beer from 11ish to have a table for lunch.

If you see Martini Mixology on the menu, book it. Great afternoon drinking session. Also the gin tasting is good if offered. Although you'll have to pay for this even with a drinks package so YMMV.

I'm on the QV in November, think it'll be my 13th Cunard trip. On Sky Princess in a couple of weeks.